The present invention relates to the field of medical devices such as elongated flexible catheter and accessory devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a magnetic clamp assembly for retaining elongated flexible medical devices in a coiled or collapsed condition and has particular application for angioplasty devices.
Catheter and other treatment devices are formed of elongated members which are relatively flexible for insertion into a body vessel of a patient for treatment. The length of various catheter or treatment devices is relatively long to track the device to a remote treatment site. For example, typically the length of an angioplasty catheter is approximately 150 cm long and a guidewire is approximately 175 cm long. Catheter and other treatment devices are sterilized for human use.
Prior to use and reuse, the catheter or other device must remain in a sterile zone or field. The extended length of catheters and other treatment devices are packaged in sterile containers in a coiled configuration. Once removed from the sterile packaging, the entire length of the device must remain in the sterile field for use and reuse. The sterile zone or field is typically a sterile cart, operating table or localized treatment area. The long length of catheters or other devices makes it awkward to control and handle the device and retain the device in the sterile field.
Angioplasty devices are intravascularly inserted into a patient for treating coronary heart disease. Angioplasty devices include an elongated catheter having a dilation balloon supported at a distal end which is inserted over an elongated guidewire. During an angioplasty procedure, often several different types of catheters are employed sequentially utilizing the same guidewire and in some cases the catheter may be alternately used several times. Once removed from the guidewire, the catheter must be kept in a sterile field for re-use. As previously discussed, the length of the catheter shaft makes it quite awkward and inconvenient to retain the catheter in the sterile field for reuse.
Various types of catheter devices used include fixed wire catheters, over-the-wire catheters and single operator exchange catheters. During an angioplasty procedure, a doctor may decide to exchange an inserted catheter device with another catheter device. To facilitate a catheter exchange with an over-the-wire catheter device, a guidewire extension can be added to the end of the guidewire or an original wire can be replaced with an exchange guidewire. It is important to assure that the length of guidewire extension or exchange guidewire remains sterile and does not drop on the floor. However, the additional length of the guidewire extension or exchange guidewire makes it difficult to retain the length of the guidewire in the sterile field.
Prior mechanical clip devices are known to retain elongated catheters in a coiled configuration for use and reuse. These devices can be cumbersome to use and can require two hands to operate. The present invention address these and other problems and has wide application for various angioplasty catheter devices such as cutting devices, fiber optic catheters, ultrasound probes and other treatment devices.
The present invention relates to a magnetic clamp assembly for an elongated flexible medical device or treatment device. The clamp assembly includes magnetic clamp members operably coupled to clamp a portion of the flexible medical device to secure the medical device during treatment.